In the spring of 2014, a tragic series of events unfolded, culminating in the death of a 32-year-old woman named Rhiannon Vantassel. Originally from Colorado Springs, Colorado, her life came to a violent end in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on April 1, 2014. Her death was the result of a murder-suicide perpetrated by her boyfriend, Roy Hanthorn, who was a fugitive from Colorado.
The events leading to the fatal outcome began when Hanthorn, who was wanted on multiple charges in Colorado, fled the state
with Vantassel. Vantassel's mother had reportedly posted on social media, pleading for her daughter to leave Hanthorn and return to her family. Concerns for her safety were evident as she was believed to be on the run with a wanted man.
The situation escalated in Tulsa when police located Hanthorn and Vantassel. A police chase ensued, which ended tragically. After the chase, Hanthorn shot and killed Rhiannon Vantassel before turning the gun on himself. Hanthorn later died from his self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Rhiannon Vantassel, known to her friends and family as 'RaeRae,' was a graduate of St. Mary's High School and had worked as a dental assistant. Her obituary remembers her as being greatly loved by her surviving family, including her daughter. The tragic circumstances of her death left a lasting impact on her community, with friends and family expressing their grief and shock at the sudden and violent loss of a woman they cared for deeply.
